Welcome Home, Luke
by rainediamond
Summary: May and Hermes have fallen into painful rhythm as they cope with their son's death. One-shot! (Characters belong to RR)


Godly and Mortal Parent Interaction one-shot: May and Hermes

May Castellan sat at her kitchen counter, horribly lucid, just as she had been for the last year. She almost wished she was still insane from the Oracle, but no. Now she had to endure reality.

The wind-chimes made music with the gentle night breeze. May looked at the sink, empty for the first time since Luke left. Her counter was bare, all of the sandwiches thrown away when the spell broke. Hermes said it was because the Oracle was finally free that she was sane again, but May felt like she was slipping again without her son.

May flipped through the scrapbook, tears filling her eyes as she leafed though pictures of her baby boy. Luke sitting in the tub, his baby blue eyes shining like his father's. Luke teething on the drachma shaped toy Hermes had brought. Luke with his stuffed minotaur at hi first birthday party.

Now that she was free from the haze, she could recall the last time she saw Luke, shortly before he died. He'd been so distant, his eyes so sad. In hindsight, he was almost begging her not to give him her blessing. Maybe if she hadn't... No, that path was to much for her to bear.

She also remembered the two boys who came to see her. Hermes had said they were demigods too, fighting to protect Olympus. The smaller one had come to see her again, to let her know that Luke had died a hero. He told her that he had chosen to be reborn, to start over.

The breeze stirred outside, causing the chimes to clang loudly. May sighed, looking at the Hermes clock; it was getting late.

A knock came at the door, and May drew herself up, not bothering to fix her disheveled appearance. "May," Hermes whispered when she let him in.

She buried her face in his shirt. His arms wrapped around her, whispering sweet nothings as she sobbed. "Our boy, Hermes. Oh, our sweet baby boy."

"I know. I know. May. I'm so sorry." He kissed her forehead gently, closing the door as they traced their usual path toward the sitting room.

Hermes held her hands, kissing them sweetly as she cried. Without the insanity, her eyes were no longer fractured, they were once again a clear hazel color. Her hair had started to turn blonde again. Still, the silvery streaks reminded her of how she had selfishly tried to play a greater role than she was meant to. Sometimes she could almost hear Luke's voice calling out to her. She could almost see her baby's mischievous smile and sparkling eyes. Her choice had cost her everything she loved; everything but Hermes. His gentle hands felt so solid on her widow-peaked shoulders, but she knew he was in a million places at once, never entirely hers, but still there.

She had thrown away all of the beanies after becoming lucid. They just tormented her with memories of her visions. She had seen everything, and she'd always known what was coming, yet it hadn't been real. At least not until Hermes returned all those months ago, holding their son's sword. The haunting blade which now sat on his dusty bed. The bronze shimmered and the steel gleamed, so bright for a weapon with such darkness.

Since the visions stopped, Hermes had come to visit like this every week. He made sure she ate something, he held her, he talked to her, and he caressed her like he had when they first fell in love.

Still, it hurt. She couldn't bear it. The empty house was almost enough to drown her again. Hermes had stopped her suicide attempts, always there right before she was able to really hurt herself. The scars were fading, but her pain was not. It had been two years, but it still felt like yesterday.

Hermes slowly brought his lover to her feet, placing her hands on his chest, he put his hands on her waist, rocking them slowly in a dance to the irregular, mournful chimes outside.

May buried her face against his neck and cried, and Hermes held her while she sobbed, and long after the hiccups subsided. He held her in a comforting embrace as they shared a pain no one should have to know. They stayed like that for hours until she had calmed. Slowly, Hermes brought her hand to his lips, kissing each knuckle individually as she sat on his lap.

They sat in silence until Hermes whispered, "I found him, May." She startled, turning to face him. He looked like he was about to cry. "A beautiful baby boy. He was born in Florida to a daughter of Hebe and a son of Apollo. He still has your smile," he said as he cupped her cheek with his palm. "They named him Tyler."

May started crying again as Hermes showed her a picture. So Luke had finally been reborn. He could begin anew with a clean slate. Seeing the baby who looked nothing, but everything like her son, May was finally able to start letting go.

As she stared at the little brunette in the photo, she whispered, "Welcome home."


End file.
